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EuroMillions Scam Sent to Irish Mobile Phone Users

EuroMillions Scam Sent to Irish Mobile Phone Users

Last Updated: Tuesday 27th September 2022, 10:16 am

A EuroMillions scam involving a text message telling mobile phone users that they are due €1,000 from the “Irish Euro Lottery” is said to be doing the rounds across Ireland. Social media has been alight with reports of the SMS, which urges players to click a link to claim their ‘prize’, and Irish National Lottery officials have confirmed that is categorically not an official communication.

What Does the Scam EuroMillions Text Say?

The EuroMillions scam, from a sender entitled SMSINFO, reads “You have been selected to win 1000 euro in the Irish Euro Lottery (second round!)”, before recipients are asked to follow a link. It concludes, “Hurry, access is limited!”

The destination of the link is unclear, but usually scam lottery texts direct victims to a site featuring malware that infects their device and allows the scammer access to private data, including banking details, or they reach a page where recipients are asked to enter their personal information to receive the fictional funds, and the criminal uses these to steal their identity.

If you have received the message, you are urged not to follow the link or reply to it. Instead, report it to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on (01) 402 5555 between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

I Clicked the Link, What Should I Do?

If you have clicked the link or shared personal data, you should call the Gardaí and let them know you are a victim of crime. You should also alert your bank and inform them to be alert to suspicious activity on your account. They may be able to block criminal transactions before they take place. In addition, cut off all contact with the scammers.

Spotting EuroMillions Scams

Not all EuroMillions scams come through mobile phones, criminals also use letters, phone calls and emails to try and extract your personal information or money. Key things to look out for are basic errors, like calling EuroMillions the “Irish Euro Lottery”, bad spelling and grammar, and impersonal greetings like “Dear Winner”.

As with the latest text scam, you might be urged to act quickly or they may request you keep the win to yourself. Both are tactics to ensure you do not have time to think clearly or seek advice before you fall victim to them for fear of missing out on a win.

At a basic level, you cannot win a lottery you did not enter, and no official lottery will contact you in such a way. Many scams involve victims being asked to provide upfront fees for handling the prize or as tax payments, neither of which are the policy of any Irish Lottery game.

Find out more at the Lottery Scams page.

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